Edmund Hewitt and Clifford Rednapp, an evacuee to Buckley, on Rhyl beach"

Rhyl

1944

Clifford Rednap was evacuated to Buckley with his mother from Kingston upon Thames.

EVACUATED TO BUCKLEY- AN ACCOUNT A FAMILY FROM LONDON

March 2008.

In early 1944, probably due to the bombardment of London by VIs and VIIs, Winifred Rednap, her son, Clifford, along with her sister, Violet Spencer, and niece, Sheila Spencer, were evacuated to Buckley.

They arrived by train at Buckley Junction after a long journey. It was quite late and they had to sleep in the Tabernacle Schoolroom, Windmill Lane (in 2008 this is Regency Fireplaces). The next morning, they were allocated their lodgings: Winifred and Cliff went to Mr and Mrs Poole at No. 8, Hillside Crescent; Violet and Sheila went to Mrs Morgan at Olive Cottage, Nant Mawr Road - here began a life-long friendship.

Unfortunately Winifred, Violet and Sheila are now deceased. The following tales and information are from Clifford who now lives in Lincolnshire and myself, Ruth Williams.

Clifford was eight years old. He remembers arriving and his aunt pointing out a mountain, only later to find out it was a colliery slagheap! He remembers the schoolroom and waiting to be allocated lodging. He remembers his school time. At the beginning the Tabernacle Schoolroom was also used as a school, which he thinks was set up for evacuees' children because local schools were full. He says that he did go to school there but not for long - he was soon at the Board School (now Westlea). He also remembers school friends, Neville Mole and a boy named Walter Bartley. They played on Astbury's Bank and collected rosehips which, he thinks, they took to school where they were weighed and the children paid pennies. Apparently rosehips were to be processed into rosehip syrup, a source of Vitamin C.

Author: Rednap, Clifford and Williams, Ruth

Edmund Hewitt and Clifford Rednapp, an evacuee to Buckley, on Rhyl beach"

Rhyl

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